PSY1075 Lecture 3: Learning and Communicating
19 Feb 2019
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Learning and Communicating !
_____________________________________________________________________________________!
What is Language?!
-Systematic and meaningful arrangement of symbols for communication purpose.!
•A small number of symbols (sounds or gestures) can be combined according to a set of
shared rules to produce an endless number of messages.!
•For example, in the English language, there are only 26 letters (symbols) that are
combined to form words that are then combined to form an “endless number of
messages”!
•It is estimated there are at least 6000 spoken languages in the world today.!
Using Language !
-Nature and functions of language:!
•Communication!
•Thinking !
•Self-regulation!
•Communication, particularly language, plays a major role in children’s learning. Language
is a tool for thinking. !
Using Language - Cultural Influence!
-Selective, simple to complex, concrete to abstract, sequential = varies by environment and
culture. !
-Child’s culture influences their learning.!
-It shapes what skills they are most likely to develop in early childhood. !
Private and Social Speech!
-Private speech vs. Social speech.!
•Independent vs. Others.!
Language Pathways!
-Auditory cortex.!
-Wernicke’s area.!
-Visual cortex.!
-Hippocampus (memory)!
-Broca’s area.!
-Limbic association. !
Formal Characteristics of Language !
-Phonology: basic sounds that can be combined to produce a word (40 phonemes in English)
e.g. mat and mate have two phonemes of “a”!
-Morphemes: smallest language unit that has a meaning (example, unbreakable has 3
morphemes). Complete words or added grammar information, for example “s” or “ed”!
-Semantics: rules that govern meaning of words and sentences.!
-Pragmatics!
Early Sounds and Communication!
-Infant sounds: cooing, crying, murmuring, etc.!
-Pre-linguistic communication:sounds, facial expressions, imitation.!
-Babbling: speech like meaningless words (2-3 months to 1 year): same vowel sounds over
and over again with changing pitch (ee-ee-ee).!
-5 months: babbling expanded by addition of consonants e.g. bee.!
-Adults seem to be prepared to speak in a certain way to infants. This is called motherese. !
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Nature and functions of language: communication, thinking, self-regulation, communication, particularly language, plays a major role in children"s learning. Selective, simple to complex, concrete to abstract, sequential = varies by environment and culture. It shapes what skills they are most likely to develop in early childhood. Private speech vs. social speech: independent vs. others. Phonology: basic sounds that can be combined to produce a word (40 phonemes in english) e. g. mat and mate have two phonemes of a . Morphemes: smallest language unit that has a meaning (example, unbreakable has 3 morphemes). Complete words or added grammar information, for example s or ed . Semantics: rules that govern meaning of words and sentences. Babbling: speech like meaningless words (2-3 months to 1 year): same vowel sounds over and over again with changing pitch (ee-ee-ee). 5 months: babbling expanded by addition of consonants e. g. bee. Adults seem to be prepared to speak in a certain way to infants.
